MALAYBALAY CITY (Bukidnon News/ 22 December) – The provincial board of Bukidnon has unanimously approved a resolution urging the Department
of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to segregate the 58 hectares “gold rush” area in Libona town from the lease agreement granted to Pelaez Ranch.
Jay Albarece, provincial board member from the first district was the
principal sponsor of the resolution.
The 58 hectares that the provincial board wanted to be excluded in the
lease agreement is specifically located in Sitio Manlauyan of Gango
village.
The area has been part of the 2,000 hectares Forest Land Graze
Management Agreement (FLGMA) issued to E. Pelaez Ranch Inc which
reportedly will expire on 2020.
Albarece said the area has not been utilized for grazing or pasture
purposes but instead it becomes the “gold rush” area for number of
years.
Albarece said the area must be segregated from the lease agreement so
that the provincial government of Bukidnon will have jurisdiction to
declare the area as “minahan ng bayan.”
During the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on December
14, the village chief of Gango said at least 5 kilograms of gold are
taken from the mining operation in the area per month.
Romulo Garcia, head of a small scale miner association in the area
said about 2,000 miners are in the mining site. (Mel B. Madera)
Filed under: Situationer |
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